1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a switch device used as a switch for a power source of electric or electronic equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of switch devices are used according to utilities, and a conventional switch device used for driving an electric motor of an automotive antenna elevator or a power window system of seesaw type as shown in FIGS. 12 to 16 has been heretofore known.
In FIGS. 12 to 16, reference numeral 1 designates a synthetic resin case opened at its top, numeral 2 denotes a switch actuator supported by a pin 3 to the top of the case 1, numeral 4 depicts a presser fixedly engaged with the top of the switch actuator 2, which is swingably moved with the pin 3 as a fulcrum by tilting the presser 4 from a neutral position shown in FIG. 12 in either direction of arrow X or Y in FIG. 12. In FIG. 15, a pair of compression springs 5, 6 are contained in the switch actuator 2, first and second drivers 7, 8 energized by the compression springs 5, 6, respectively are inserted into the actuator 2, and the lower ends of the drivers 7, 8 are elastically contacted with the upper surfaces of first and second conductor plates 9, 10, respectively.
The first conductor plate 9 is in a V shape. Cutouts 9a to become swinging fulcra are formed at both lateral sides of the first conductor plate 9, and movable contacts 11, 12 are attached to both the longitudinal ends of the first conductor plate 9. Similarly, the second conductor plate 10 is bent in a V shape. Cutouts 10a to become swinging fulcra are formed at both lateral sides of the second conductor plate 10 to the first conductor plate 9, and movable contacts 13, 14 are attached to both the longitudinal ends of the second conductor plate 10.
Four stationary contacts 15, 16, 17, 18 are shown in FIG. 13 and 16 to be arranged corresponding to the movable contacts 11, 12, 13, 14 on the inner bottom of the case 1, and central terminals 19, 20 are arranged between the stationary contacts 15 and 16 and between the stationary contacts 17 and 18. The central terminals 19, 20 are formed of L-shaped bent metal plates, and a pair of engaging projections 19a, 20a are bent in L shape at both sides of the upper ends of the central terminals 19, 20, respectively. The engaging projections 19a, 20a are so inserted into the cutouts 9a, 10a as to hold the first and second conductor plates 9, 10, which are thus swung with the central terminals 19, 20 as fulcra.
A pair of partition walls 1a, 1b (FIG. 15) are so extended as to partition the first and second conductor plates 9, 10 at both lateral sides of the case 1. A part of a lead plate 21 (FIG. 13) bent in a hook shape, is inserted between the partition walls 1a and 1b so that the ends of the lead plate 21 are connected respectively to the stationary terminals 15 and 18. Terminals 22, 23, 24, 25 in FIG. 14, connected to the stationary contacts 15, 16, 17, 18, are attached to the bottom of the case 1, terminals 26, 27 corresponding to the central terminals 19, 20 are attached by rivets 28, and the terminals 23, 24 are connected through leads 29. The terminals 22 to 27 are connected to the terminals of an electric motor driving circuit in FIG. 17 to normally or reversely rotate the electric motor M. Reference numeral 30 designates a rubber cover to be fixed on the top of the case 1 to prevent moisture or dusts from being introduced into the case 1.
When a pressing force to the presser 4 is released in the switch device constructed as described above, the first and second drivers 7, 8 are elastically contacted with the valleys of the V-shaped bent portions of the first and second conductor plates 9, 10, and the switch actuator 2 is disposed at the neutral position shown in FIG. 12. The movable contacts 12, 13 are contacted under pressure with the stationary contacts 16, 17, the movable contacts 11, 14 are separated from the stationary contacts 15, 18, and both the conductor plates 9, 10 are disposed at the positions designated by solid lines in FIG. 17 at this neutral position. Therefore, a power source E is not connected to the motor M, which is not rotated.
When the presser 4 is pressed from the neutral position in a direction of the arrow X in FIG. 12, the first and second drivers 7, 8 are slid on the oblique surfaces of the first and second conductor plates 9, 10, and the first conductor plate 9 is swung to the stationary contact 15 side with the engaging projection 19a of the central terminal 19 as a fulcrum as shown in FIG. 16. In this case, the second conductor plate 10 remains pressed at the movable contact 13 by the stationary contact 17 conductor plate 10 is not swung, only the first conductor plate 9 is switched to the state shown by broken lines in FIG. 17, and the motor M is, for example, rotated in a normal direction.
Similarly, when the presser 4 is pressed from the neutral position in a direction of the arrow Y in FIG. 12, the first conductor plate 9 is not swung, but only the second conductor plate 10 is swung to the stationary contact 18 side to be switched to the state shown by broken line in FIG. 17, and the motor M is rotated reversely.
In the switch device of the type described above, the cutouts 9a, 10a formed at both lateral sides of the first and second conductor plates 9, 10 are inserted into the L-shaped engaging projections 19a, 20a bent at the upper ends of the central terminals 19, 20. Thus, clearances between the cutouts 9a, 10a and the engaging projections 19a, 20a are reduced, and the conductor plates 9, 10 are smoothly swung. However, since the conductor plates 9, 10 must be inserted from oblique direction, i.e., from the extending direction of the engaging projections 19a, 20a to engage the cutouts 9a, 10a with the engaging projections 19a, 20a, there arises a drawback that an automation of assembling work is difficult.